Yesterday saw Amsterdam’s highly-tipped, 7 piece band, Personal Trainer make their much anticipated return with the release of their new single, Key Of Ego. The track is Personal Trainer’s first release since last year’s debut EP, Gazebo, and was produced by the band’s long term collaborator, Casper van der Laans.
Key Of Ego sees frontman Willem Smit question his struggle with masculinity, playing with call-and-response lyricisms that became a fad in the mid-to-late nineties. A track hard to place within a genre, Key Of Ego feels to contain a little bit of everything, with post-punk basslines, gang vocals, distorted guitars and even a sample of an orchestra performing a Bach piece.
Speaking about the track, Smit states,
I would rather see myself as a question-type-of-guy than an answer-type-of-guy. For me, that translates to being a vague-gesture-type-of-writer. Which I like, but can get really insecure about. I’m not too sure what Key Of Ego is about yet, but I think it has something to do with masculinity, machismo and shame.’
Having already made a name for themselves from their memorable live shows, and have just announced more shows in the Netherlands before their return to the UK in May.
Personal Trainer EU & UK Tour Dates
- Feb 11 Rotterdam – Rotown
- Feb 16 Utrecht – Ekko
- Feb 17 Nijmegen – Merleyn
- Mar 2 Amsterdam – Paradiso Noord
- May 4 Manchester – Yes Basement
- May 5 Leeds – Hyde Park Book Club
- May 6 Newcastle – Head Of Steam
- May 7 Edinburgh – Sneaky Pete’s
- May 8 Glasgow – Broadcast
- May 10 Nottingham – Rough Trade
- May 17 London – Moth Club